Dive: The Ultimate Guide to the World's Top Dive Locations » (Revised edition)

Monty Halls is a marine biologist and expert diver. A former Royal Marines officer, he leads diving adventure expeditions around the world.

A well-illustrated, practical travel guide to 250 scuba dive sites in 70 locations. Dives are rated from beginner to expert and include local information on safety, support, hospitals, accommodation, visa requirements, etc. Expanded and fully updated.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

THE OCEAN

THE WORLD OF DIVING

PROTECT THE AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT

CARIBBEAN SEA -- BEST TIME TO GO

Florida Keys, United States -- Year-round, summer best, but hurricanes blow late summer

Little Bahama Bank, Bahamas -- Year-round, summer best, but hurricanes blow late summer

Turks & Caicos Islands, British Overseas Territory -- Winter, spring, and summer

Isla de la Juventud, Cuba -- Rainy in spring, hot and humid in summer so winter is best

Jardines de la Reina, Cuba -- Rainy in spring, hot and humid in summer so winter is best

Cayman Islands, British Overseas Territory -- Year-round

Cozumel & The Yucatán, Mexico -- Year-round, but summer is calmest

Belize, Belize -- Year-round, but late summer is best

Dominica, West Indies -- Year-round, but late summer is best

Grenada & The Bianca C, Grenada -- Year-round, summer best, but hurricanes blow late summer

Bonaire, Dutch Antilles -- Year-round, but late summer is best

ATLANTIC OCEAN -- BEST TIME TO GO

Scapa Flow, Scotland -- Summer

Porthkerris & the Manacles, England -- Spring and summer

Lundy Island, England -- Spring and summer

Isle of Man, Irish Sea -- Spring and summer

Iceland, Iceland -- Year-round

Svalbard,Norway -- Brief summer interlude

Newfoundland, Canada -- Year-round, but northern hemisphere summer is best

North Carolina Outer Banks, United States -- Summer

Gansbaai, South Africa -- Year-round, but northern hemisphere summer is best

MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- BEST TIME TO GO

Medas Islands, Spain -- Spring to late autumn, but crowded in August

Sardinia, Italy -- Summer is best, but crowded in August

Ustica Island, Italy -- Year-round, summer is best, but avoid August when busy

Croatia, Adriatic -- Year-round, summer is best

The Zenobia, Cyprus -- Year-round, summer is best, but avoid August when busy

RED SEA -- BEST TIME TO GO

Thistlegorm, Egypt -- Year-round, but summer is very hot

The Brothers, Egypt -- Year-round, but summer is very hot

Dahab, Egypt -- Year-round, but summer is very hot

Jackson Reef, Egypt -- Year-round, but summer is very hot

Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan -- Spring or autumn is best, summer very hot

Sha'ab Rumi, Sudan -- Too hot in summer, spring, and autumn are best

INDIAN OCEAN -- BEST TIME TO GO

Aliwal Shoal, South Africa -- Northern hemisphere winter months are best

Sodwana, South Africa -- Northern hemisphere winter months are best

Inhaca Island & Bazaruto, Mozambique -- Northern hemisphere winter months are best

Watamu Marine Park, Kenya -- October to April, but December to March is best

Zanzibar, Tanzania -- October to April, but December to March is best

Grande Comore, Comoros -- March to November, but May to September is best

Mauritius & Rodrigues, Mauritius -- Avoid February, March, September and October when windy

Seychelles, Seychelles -- May to October is best

Aldabra & Amirantes, Seychelles -- May to October is best

Lhaviyani & Felidhoo Atolls, Maldives -- Year-round, but winter and spring are best

Similan Islands, Thailand -- November to April is best

Komodo, Indonesia -- Year-round, but May to December is best

Bali, Indonesia -- Year-round, but May to December is best

Wakatobi, Indonesia -- Year-round

Ningaloo Ree, Australia -- Year-round

Kangaroo Island, Australia -- Year-round

Neptunes Islands & Dangerous Reef, Australia -- Year-round

PACIFIC OCEAN -- BEST TIME TO GO

Catalina Island, United States -- Autumn and winter is best

Sea of Cortez, Mexico -- Year-round, but windy in November and December

Cocos & Malpelo Islands, Costa Rica & Colombia -- December to September, but bad weather still possible

Galápagos Islands, Ecuador -- Year-round, but weather can be changeable

Rangiroa, French Polynesia -- Year-round, but November to April is best

Bora Bora, French Polynesia -- Year-round, but November to April is best

Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands -- April to September, when calmest, is best

Chuuk Lagoon, Micronesia -- Year-round, but rainy from July to October

Yap Island, Micronesia -- Year-round, but December to April is best

Palau Archipelago, Palau -- Year-round, but rainy from July to October

Tubbataha Reefs, Philippines -- April to October is best

Layang Layang, Malaysia -- April to October is best

Sipadan Island, Malaysia -- April to October is best

Eastern Fields & Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea -- Year-round, but May to October is best

Gizo & Uepi Islands, Solomon Islands -- Year-round, but April to October is best

S.S. President Coolidge, Vanuatu -- Year-round, but April to October is best

Fiji Archipelago, Fiji -- Year-round, but November to April is best

Great Barrier Reef, Australia -- Year-round

Coral Sea, Australia -- Year-round

Yongala, Australia -- Year-round

Rainbow Warrior, New Zealand -- Northern hemisphere winter months are best

Poor Knights Islands, New Zealand -- Northern hemisphere winter months are best

The Lermontov, New Zealand -- Northern hemisphere winter months are best

DECOMPRESSION SICKNESS & SAFE DIVING

DIVE ORGANIZATIONS

GLOSSARY

PICTURE CREDITS

INDEX